Bridal horror stories.(From The Editor)

* My wedding was small and low-key. I invited just 50 people, I wore a three-quarter-length silk dress instead of a gown, and one of my brothers was my "maid of honor."

And yet I absolutely love big weddings when other people do them. I go crazy for the whole glorious spectacle, the old traditions, the food, even the excesses. At my college roommate's wedding for 500 in her backyard, a hunky male guest stripped to his boxers and dove into the swimming pool with me hoisted in his arms. It was great fun, though I spent the rest of the night looking like the daughter of Swamp Monster!

Which brings us to our special Cosmo Bride section. After the success of last year's, we decided we just had to do another one. You'll find lots of great wedding ideas that you won't come across in the typical bridal magazine, tips on how not to be a bridezilla, and ways to strengthen your bond with your guy through all the prematrimonial stress.

Speaking of stress, few weddings go off without a single hitch. We asked readers to share their most memorable wedding-disaster stories. The goal isn't to put the fear of God into you but to remind you that in addition to something borrowed and something blue, you need to bring your sense of humor with you on your wedding day. Those little glitches are what will make you and your husband laugh together years later. (Trust me, I know from experience.)

"Right in the middle of our ceremony, a loud toilet flushed. Everyone started cracking up."--Kristin

"During one wedding I waitressed at, a snake slithered by the bride's and groom's feet as they were saying their vows, and then a candle exploded. Bad omens? Hmnnn."--Ann

"The groom at a wedding I went to wore a traditional equestrian costume--top hat, knee-high boots, and tails--because he and the bride were both riders, but he hadn't told the ...